On Saturday October 26th, 18 prisoners including two Kurdish political prisoners were executed by the Islamic Regime in Iran. Hundreds of prisoners have been executed by the Islamic Regime since the so called “moderate” President Hassan Rouhani came to power in June, but executing 18 prisoners in one day is a new record even for the Islamic Regime.

Sayeh Hassan an Iranian Canadian lawyer, blogger and pro-democracy activist stated “While the so called “moderate” president Hassan Rouhani has been smiling his way through the United Nations and working hard to remove the tough sanctions against Iran, the Islamic Regime has been busy executing prisoners including political prisoners in record numbers. The latest example is the execution of 18 ethnic minority prisoners including 16 Balouchi’s and two Kurdish political prisoners.

Ms. Hassan further stated: “One of the political prisoners executed was Habibullah Golparipour, a young man arrested in 2009, subjected to brutal torture and “tried” behind closed doors. According to various reports Mr. Golparipour was executed secretly without the knowledge of his family or lawyer and without the execution date being announced. No doubt the Islamic Regime felt it was necessary to carry out the execution in secret to prevent major protests!”

Ms. Hassan expressed: “Islamic Regime’s killing machine has been operating full force since June of this year, unfortunately many countries including the United States have turned a blind eye to the mass killings in Iran and have agreed to enter into a political dialogue with the Islamic Regime in Iran.”

Sayeh Hassan lastly stated: “ Many Iranian Canadians are extremely concerned that Canada will follow the lead of the United States and renew diplomatic relations with the Regime in Iran. Unfortunately we have already started seeing signs of Canada “softening” its stand on Iran by allowing Iran to operate an unofficial consulate in Montreal and most recently appointing the country of Oman as the official representative of Iran in Canada. There is no doubt that the Conservative Government in Canada would lose not only the support but also the respect of Iranian Canadians if it chooses to ignore the mass executions in Iran and renews its diplomatic relations with Iran.

Oman has been named as Iran's representative in Canada which means they will look after Iran's affairs and interests including consulate affairs. Last June Canada cut all diplomatic ties with Iran including shutting down Iran’s embassy in Ottawa. Since last June Canada has had no diplomatic relations with Iran and has not allowed for any country or entity to act as Iran’s representatives in Canada.

In September of this year an Islamic Centre in Montreal started carrying out Iran’s consulate affairs going as far as creating a website which clearly indicated that the Islamic centre would be Iran’s official consulate in Montreal.

Many Iranian Canadians were extremely concerned about this new development not only because this consulate was operating against Canadian law, but also because they were against Islamic Regime’s political presence in Canada, whether official or unofficial. Many Iranian Canadians contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, their members of parliament and the media to voice their concerns about this issue.

A facebook group named “Shut Down Iran’s Consulate in Montreal” was created and a protest was scheduled in front of the Islamic Centre in Montreal on Saturday October 26th 2013.

Unfortunately in the meantime the Canadian Government decided not only against shutting down Iran’s consulate in Montreal, but they also designated the country of Oman to act as Iran’s representative in Canada essentially allowing Iran to once again have a political presence in Canada.

This comes as a major disappointment and surprise to Iranian Canadians who applauded Canada’s tough stand on the Regime in Iran. There is great concern that this maybe the beginning of the renewal of Canada-Iran diplomatic relations which would not be welcome by Iranian Canadians who have been fighting against the dictatorship in Iran.

Please note that the scheduled protest of October 26th 2013 in Montreal has been cancelled, but there will be a protest in front of Oman Embassy in Ottawa as well as at Parliament Hills. Please stay tuned for the new date.

Sayeh Hassan is an Iranian Canadian Lawyer, Pro-Democracy Activist and Blogger

Today marks the world day against the death penalty. We mark this day at a time when the Islamic Regime in Iran is carrying out executions both publicly and privately on a daily basis. We are constantly bombarded with news from Iran about public hangings, stoning and executions in prisons. Today is a good opportunity to take a stand and say “No to Executions and No to Islamic Regime in Iran.” It is crucial that we do not separate the fight against the regime with the fight against executions as it is impossible to stop the killings in Iran unless we stop the killing machine.

If you are in Toronto please join us at Yonge/Dundas square at 6:30 pm and say NO TO EXECUTIONS AND NO TO ISLAMIC REGIME IN IRAN!

About This Writer

Sayeh Hassan is a criminal defense lawyer with Walter Fox & Associates and an Iranian Pro-Democracy activist. She is the author of the shiro-khorshid-forever blog (www.shiro-khorshid-forever.blogspot.com) which focuses on the pro-democracy movement and Regime Change in Iran. Through her pro-democracy activities she stays in close contact with activists in Iran as well as retaining contacts with various human rights and pro-democracy organizations abroad. She regularly speaks at conferences, has appeared on television and radio programs and her writing has been published by publications such as National Post, Toronto Star & Ottawa Citizen. She can be contacted at sayehhassan30@gmail.com